The Musketeers: Letters From War
by impossiblebraveheart
Summary: A one shot based on the song 'Letters from War' by Mark Scultz. Athos goes to war, and he writes to his mother. He is captured by the enemy after saving d'Artagnan, and d'Artagnan writes to his mother, explaining what happened. Athos returns home two years later.


A one shot, based on the song 'Letters From War' by Mark Scultz. I'm thinking about turning this into an actual fan fiction, but I haven't decided yet.

* * *

1943 and the world was at war with each other. A woman in her mid forties headed to the mailbox on that bright summer's day in hopes of finding a letter from her son she hadn't seen since he went off to fight. She missed him terribly and she could only hope and pray that he would come back to her safely and unharmed. Her husband had only died, so she was left alone at the house. She didn't want to tell her son of his departure for it would distract him and she feared it might get him killed.

She reached the mailbox and she opened it up, pulling out the letters. She scanned through them quickly and a smile spread across her face when she saw the letter from her son. She had been waiting for this for a very long time and there was hope that he was doing just fine. She walked back into the house with the letters and she placed the others on the table, opening the one up from her son. She unfolded it and began to read what it said.

_Dear Mum,_

_I'm just writing to let you know that I am well and safe. The weather has been good to us so far which is good. There has hardly been any rain or wind, though it would be nice to have some. It's awfully hot out here and wearing all this uniform is making us sweat. Anyway, while being out here and fighting for our country, I have made a few good friends. Aramis, Porthos and a new soldier who has just turned eighteen. He came and we welcomed him. The four of us watches each other's backs and we're always there for one another. I've honestly never met a few good men like themselves and I can only hope that they make it through the war._

_I've been thinking a lot about Dad recently and what he must have gone through when he fought in the last war. I assume he saw a lot of what I am seeing out here now. Men are dying, civilians being bombed. It's really heartbreaking. I'm forever thankful for dad being so strict on me and him insisting that I should fight my country, because if it was not for him, then I probably would have hidden away like a scared little boy and if I did that, I know he would have been ashamed of me and the men I thought I might have become. He's the very reason I'm out here._

_Please be safe, mum, and don't let any strange men into the house. Don't trust anyone._

_Love Athos._

_P.S. I also wanted to tell you, that you are who I am fighting for._

* * *

Athos' mum smiled softly as she read the words on the letter. She folded it up after reading it several times and she walked towards the writing desk where she pulled out an envelope, paper and a pen and she sat down and she wrote her reply to him. At first she didn't know what to write and then she got stuck into it.

_Dearest Athos,_

_Rest assured, I will not allow any man in my house. Thank you for writing this letter to me, it's given me a lot of hope that you will return home safe and sound. I have no idea what you are seeing out there and I wish that you didn't have to. I'm only sorry that I could not stop you from going. You are still my little boy, even if you are in your mid twenties. Just remember that you are good, and you're brave. You will make a wonderful father._

_Be safe and make it home in one piece._

_Love mum._

She folded the letter, placing it in the envelope and then she headed into the town and she posted it in hopes he would receive it. She closed her eyes and she prayed that he would be just fine.

Months passed when she received another letter and it was a letter she was dreading. It was just after Christmas when it came. She opened it up and she read through. Tears began to fall down her cheeks and she shook her head. She didn't want to believe it. She didn't want to think her son was dead. She couldn't bare it. Not him. Not her Athos.

* * *

**D'Artagnan stood on the hill, keeping an eye out for the enemies. It was meant to be Aramis' turn but the young lad insisted he would go out there on his own which was a stupid thing to do. He was just about to sit down when he heard the sound of gunshots coming from nowhere and one bullet hit him in the leg which caused him to go down. He hissed in pain and he tried to get to cover. After a minute or so, everything went quiet. The quietness only lasted several seconds when the bombs started going off and d'Artagnan thought he was going to die. "This is it…" He muttered to himself. He got to his feet, but stumbled slightly. His leg was bleeding badly and he tried to limp back to the base where they'd been sent to earlier that week. As he tried to walk on, another gunshot was fired at him and it shot him in the side. Within minutes, he was surrounded by the enemy and he frowned. He thought he was definitely done for at that time.**

**There he was. His best friend; Athos. The older man shot bullets at the enemies, killing them but more came and he needed to get him to safety. Quickly, he went to him and he threw D'Artagnan's arm over his shoulder, helping him to safety. He got him behind a tree where he was out of harm's way and he looked at him.**

**"Do me a favour, write to my mother…" He said. He gave him the piece of paper with his address on it and d'Artagnan looked at him, nodding the once. "I will, I promise… I swear to you I will." He said. Athos nodded the once and he grabbed his gun before going back out there. D'Artagnan could only just see what was happening and his eyes widened in terror. Athos was captured and there was nothing he could do to help him. He was injured and hopeless. He wanted to scream for him, but he would get noticed by the others and it dawned on him that the man had saved him from captivity. The man had taken his place. He looked down at the address. He would write when he got back to camp.**

**It didn't take long for Porthos and Aramis to come along. The two men helped d'Artagnan up and Aramis looked at him. "What happened?" He asked.**

**D'Artagnan shook his head, not knowing what to say. All he managed to say was: "Athos was captured. We need to save him." He said.**

**Porthos shook his head. "We can't even if we wanted to. Athos is lost. There's no chance in hell they'd let him live…" He muttered. It was heartbreaking enough but to hear his other friend say that made him angrier and more upset. He didn't want to let Athos stay there. He wanted to do something. "… besides, we don't know where they've taken him…" He added. And d'Artagnan knew he was right. He could be anywhere.**

**Upon arriving back to base, d'Artagnan was sent to the hospital and a lovely young nurse, Constance had fixed him up. She looked at him with a soft, reassuring smile. "It will be all right… I've seen you and your three friends work so well together. Athos is a strong man and he won't let captivity stop him." She assured him.**

**D'Artagnan nodded. "Um, do you have any paper? I promised I would write to his mum… not exactly sure what to say, but I need to do this for him…" He said.**

**Constance nodded and she fetched some paper and pen. "Don't rush yourself," she said to him. She squeezed his hand gently before walking off to sort out another soldier.**

**D'Artagnan nodded and he wrote:**

_Dear Ma'am,_

_I hate to be the bearer of bad news, and I honestly never wanted to write a letter like this to anyone, especially someone's mother. But, I regret to inform you that your son, Athos, was captured by the enemy this evening while saving my life. I was up on a hill alone when the gunshots and bombs went off and I thought I was done for. I was surrounded by them, and I had nowhere to turn to. I was injured, shot twice. One in the leg and the other in the side. But, despite the captain Treville's orders of just leaving me there because they had no time, Athos came back for me. Your son is fearless and brave and I couldn't ask for a better friend than him. After getting me to safety, Athos went back and fought them off, but he was captured in doing so. Because of him, I wasn't captured._

_He asked me to write to you and I promised I would. I swore I would. We will find him, ma'am… I swear. He will be fine and he will be brought back to you alive."_

_From,_

_D'Artagnan; a friend of Athos'._

**He folded it up and he placed it in the envelope and he sealed it up. He called the nurse back over and he smiled. "Can you make sure this letter gets to Athos' mum, please?" He asked.**

**Constance took the letter from him and she nodded the once. "I will make sure, you have my word. Now you must rest. You've been through a lot…" She said softly. She took his hand, squeezing it gently and she smiled again, before letting go and walking off. She would make sure it would get to her.**

* * *

Athos' mum looked down at the letter which was now tear stained from all the crying she had been doing whilst reading the letter. She held the letter close to her heart and she blinked back the tears. All she could do now was believe he was alive… believe that they had done no harm to him and that he would come home despite there being little hope.

Still, she wrote to him. This time she only wrote a few words.

_Dear Athos,_

_Come home, darling. Please! I can't bare the thought of you being out there any longer. I can't be the thought of you being in danger. Your friend kept to his promise… just come home. You are most definitely good and you are brave. You'll make a great father one day._

_Love mum._

She knew he wouldn't get it but she sent it off anyway and she continued to write to him every single day and she prayed for his safe return.

* * *

Two years passed since she received any letters from him, but she continued to believe that he was alive out there somewhere. She spent the morning cleaning the house up; it was just announced that the war was over and she felt somewhat relieved despite the chance of her son being dead was quite high. No man would have to die anymore and they could return back to their families where they belonged.

She went out in the garden and she hung the washing up. Autumn leaves were falling and landing on the ground, which covered most of the grass. She heard a car pull up in the driveway and she rose an eyebrow. She wasn't expecting anyone, no visitors at all. She stopped what she was doing and she headed into the living room to look out of the window. Her eyes widened when she saw the green car… the very car that took her beloved son to war a few years back.

At first she thought it was someone that came to tell her that Athos had been killed in action and she just collapsed to the ground because reality hit her harder then. She honestly believed he was dead.

Athos pulled up in the driveway with his three friends who also made it through the war and had no where to go. Their homes had been destroyed so Athos invited them back to his place. He was now captain, which was a bit of a shock and he stepped out from the car and stood on the very spot he stood on when he was just a small boy. His mother had managed to make it to the front door and she watched the car closely. She saw her son standing there and she burst into tears. He got out his bags from the car and the unopened letters he was given before leaving to return home and he held them in his hand. A soft smile appeared across his face and he spoke in a calm voice. "Mum, I'm following orders from all of your letters and I've come home again." He said with a huge smile. He moved foward at a fast pace and he threw his bags on the floor, running to hug her. He held her tight, and he held her letters from war in his hand. He closed his eyes and he felt tears fall from his eyes. He was happy to be back here.

Aramis, Porthos and d'Artagnan stood and watched as the scene unfolded. It was very touching and it almost brought a tear to their eyes.

Slowly, Athos pulled back and he looked at his mum, wiping away her tears. "Mum, this is Porthos, Aramis and d'Artagnan. D'Artagnan is the one who wrote to you to tell you what happened…" He said. His mum nodded and listened. She welcomed the boys into her home after Athos explained they had nowhere to go. She went and hugged D'Artagnan and thanked him for letting her know what happened to her boy while out there, even though it did break her heart.

D'Artagnan returned the hug back to her and he smiled brightly. He was happy that she and Athos was able to reunite. Now he wanted to find that pretty little nurse he had fallen in love with while he was in hospital. He had been in out of hospital several times.


End file.
